The recent 63-episode Fruits Basket anime, which aired over three seasons from 2019-2021, was a thorough and faithful adaptation of Natsuki Takaya's manga (in contrast to the 2001 anime). However, even faithful adaptations have to cut something, and the backstory behind Tohru Honda's parents, Kyoko and Katsuya, was the most notable part of the manga to not make it into the TV series.
Fortunately for those who've been hoping to see the Hondas' love story animated, the movie Fruits Basket: Prelude will fill in those missing chapters. Here's what's known so far about the upcoming film.
How Fruits Basket: Prelude Fits Into the Series' Story
Like many theatrical movies based on TV anime, Fruits Basket: Prelude isn't entirely new material; much of the movie will be a recap of the TV series. The film's new content, The Tale of Kyoko and Katsuya, is a prequel to the main story, chronicling how Tohru's parents met and fell in love. Anime viewers will know that Tohru's mother Kyoko was a delinquent as a teenager but turned her life around.
This backstory will delve into how Kyoko grew to be the inspiring mother Tohru remembers thanks to her relationship with the teacher Katsuya. The age difference in their relationship is one aspect of the manga that would likely be more controversial today, which is possibly why this story wasn't included in the TV show. However, Fruits Basket completists will be able to get a fuller understanding of the characters by watching this film.
Fruits Basket: Prelude's Trailers
Fruits Basket: Prelude was first announced in June 2021 following the airing of the show's final episode, with a lengthy teaser consisting primarily of clips recapping the series before concluding with the reveal of the new project coming in 2022. However, this initial announcement did not reveal that the Kyoko and Katsuya-centric anime was going to be released as a movie; that news was later revealed in Oct. 2021.
Promotion for the film has picked up in Dec. 2021, with the release of new art and a teaser trailer showcasing how Kyoko and Katsuya first met. As one should expect with Fruits Basket, the trailer promises plenty of tears and other big emotions.
Release Date
Fruits Basket: Prelude will be released in Japan on Feb. 18, 2022. No American release plans have been announced yet, although Funimation, the company that released the Fruits Basket TV anime, will likely also handle the film's Stateside release.
More information about the film can be found on its official website.